Kynren Crowned Best UK Tourism Project

Kynren – The Storied Lands has been named the UK’s Best Tourism Project by the British Guild of Travel Writers, less than four months after opening its doors to the public.

The County Durham attraction, which opened on 18th July as the UK’s first live action show park, took the top honour at the Guild’s International Tourism Awards in London on Monday evening (2nd November).

The award was collected by Marketing Director Nikki Smith and Chief Technical Officer Graham Emerson at a gala dinner held at The Underglobe at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Kynren beat two other finalists, Gorta – Swatragh’s Famine Story in Northern Ireland and London’s Museum of Homelessness, to secure the award, which is decided by professional travel writers.

The achievement is particularly significant as The Storied Lands was nominated by award-winning travel broadcaster and Guild member Petra Shepherd, following a visit to Bishop Auckland during the attraction’s inaugural season.

Unlike many tourism awards, the Guild’s International Tourism Awards recognise projects experienced and personally nominated by travel writers, with the final winners selected through a vote of the membership.

Opened alongside Kynren’s multi-award-winning night show, The Storied Lands has introduced an entirely new daytime visitor experience, combining live performance, history and immersive storytelling on an ambitious scale.

Visitors explore five different live-action experiences, ranging from spectacular free-flying bird displays in The Lost Feather and equestrian performances in The Trusty Steed to the lakeside adventure Legend of the Wear, the fiery Land of the Vikings and the Victorian Imaginariums.

Anna Warnecke, Chief Executive of Kynren, said: “To be named the UK’s Best Tourism Project in our very first season is an extraordinary achievement and a tremendous endorsement of what we’ve created here in Bishop Auckland.

“What makes this particularly special is that the recognition comes from professional travel writers who have experienced The Storied Lands for themselves and understand what makes it different.

“We set out to create something genuinely new for UK tourism, combining spectacular live performance with history and storytelling in a way that hasn’t been attempted before in the UK.

“This award is a tribute to the extraordinary commitment of everyone involved, from our staff and volunteers to the creative and technical teams who helped bring The Storied Lands to life.

“It’s also another important moment for Bishop Auckland and the wider North East, helping to establish the area as a destination for visitors from across the UK and beyond,” she added.

The British Guild of Travel Writers International Tourism Awards have been recognising outstanding tourism projects for more than 40 years, with members nominating attractions and initiatives they have visited across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.

The award provides a significant national endorsement for Kynren as it builds on the success of its first season and looks ahead to welcoming visitors back in 2027.

• For further information visit www.kynren.com.

Picture caption: Kynren’s Marketing Director Nikki Smith and Chief Technical Officer Graham Emerson collect the Best UK Tourism Project award at the British Guild of Travel Writers International Tourism Awards in London.